Some major upgrades are taking place at the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), as a result of the ongoing $1.4 billion PIT Terminal Modernization project which commenced in the fall of last year. Early site work on the project was originally scheduled to begin last April but ended up being moved forward to this year due to the COVID pandemic.
The PIT Terminal Modernization project was first announced by PIT in September 2017 and the airport’s goal is the creation of a new consolidated terminal, which would provide modernized hub facilities, fuel the region’s future development, lower long-term costs for airlines, offer better passenger services, and also evoke the essence of Pittsburgh.
PTI’s new terminal is expected to be completed and fully operational by 2025. The project will also generate $2.5 billion for the local economy, along with $27 million in local tax revenue. In addition, about 5,500 local construction and skilled labor jobs, as well as 8,500 other job opportunities will be created from the new development.
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Scope of the PIT Terminal Modernization project
The PIT Terminal Modernization project will cover the construction of a new 700,000-square-foot terminal that will include ticketing, security checkpoints, and baggage claim. The development will also involve building a 3,300-capacity parking garage, rental car facilities, and new roadways.
Site preparations for the PIT Terminal Modernization project are now in progress and this is a critical aspect of the construction phase, which will enable the attachment of cement and steel anchors to make the building stand. The construction work entails digging 130 holes at strategic points, which will be about three feet in diameter and reach depths of 35 and 90 below ground level. The Caisson cages will be fitted into these holes and lowered until they hit bedrock, and afterward, holes will be filled with cement, with the top end of each cage barely above surface level.
Mascaro Construction, the contractor working on the steel and concrete decks, estimated that over 12,000 tons of steel, 94,000 tons of concrete, and more than 354,000 square feet of wood materials would be required for the project. Mascaro Construction was awarded this $124.3 million contract by the Airport Authority last June and the company will work together with Sippel Steel, a subcontractor in Ambridge to acquire up to 16,000 tons of raw steel.
